Canton Firefighters Escape Blaze Before House Collapses

Canton firefighters escaped injury Monday night, evacuating the two-story home just before the house began to collapse.

Firefighters responded around 5 p.m. to a fire in the 7800 block of Ardsley, southwest of Warren and Lilley Roads, The Observer & Eccentric reports. The home was occupied by a couple in their mid-70s, who escaped unharmed with their cat.

The fire of unknown origin, believed to be an accident, apparently began in the basement and spread quickly due to the large amount of possessions in the house, according to the report.

Fire Chief Joshua Meier said crews were sent in to fight the fire from the interior, “but conditions deteriorated rapidly.”

“The house collapsed,” he aid. “It’s a total loss.”

The residents of the home are receiving assistance from the their church, Canton Firefighters Charity Foundation and the The Salvation Army Plymouth Corps.